Essay On The Hobbit

Behind the Creatures and Monsters Hobbits, dragons, orcs, goblins… that is what most people think of when they think J.R.R Tolkien. What they do not think about is Tolkien as who he is: a human. J.R.R Tolkien was obsessed with learning. It was instilled in him from early on. The different ways that learned in his life, including his travel, the death in his life, family religion, linguistics, and, of course, academia, have influenced his work such as The Hobbit. From an early age, Tolkien had major events going on in his life that would shape his literary experience for years to come. Notably, Tolkien moved around often for a variety of different reasons, he moved from South Africa, to England (“Biography.”). His family traveled to various parts of England and after his mother’s
death, his adventures did not cease. He spent a holiday in Switzerland, where the linguistics caught his attention. Tolkien also traveled to various countries during the First World War and the Second World War . His travels exposed him to strange lands and inspired the mystic behind the Middle Earth in The Hobbit.
Perhaps one example of the influence of travel on The Hobbit is the home of the small, furry creatures called hobbits. The Shire, as it is called, resembles that of the English countryside and is described with a peaceful way to it (Tolkien 3). There is also a heavily correlation between stereotypical British aristocratic traditions and the pride associated with hobbits. These creatures were expected to be normal and respectable. For example, The Hobbit reads: “...once in awhile members of the Took-clan would go and have adventures… the family hushed it up… Tooks were not as respectable as the Bagginses” (Tolkien 3). The impact of traveling did not stop there. Tolkien also had to travel for the World Wars. In these wars, Tolkien was surrounded, as are most veterans, by death, which would later influence his works (Gasque). Not only did the traveling affect him, but the death that he witnessed in the wars would leave a major impact on Tolkien.
Blood spilled from war was only one type of death that Tolkien had to cope with.
When he was three, his father died, forcing his mother to raise him and his siblings himself. Death within a family is brought forward in The Hobbit. For example, Fili and Kili died defending Thorin. In The Hobbit, it says “Of the twelve companions of Thorin, ten remained. Fili and Kili had fallen defending him with shield and body, for he was their mother’s elder brother” (Tolkien 202). Tolkien’s father, himself, had died in an effort to protect his family and to help them have a better life. Not only that, but there is many wars and battles ensnared throughout The Hobbit. Tolkien’s experiences with death in war and battle could have played a major role in this. “They knew that the joined armies of the Lake-men and the Elves were hurrying towards the Mountain” (Tolkien 259). This ever looming threat of doom and war meshes itself into Tolkien’s story so easily in this situation. Death inches its way into Tolkien’s writing. Tolkien was homeschooled after the death of his father, so Tolkien was heavily influenced by his mother’s views. One such way was the family’s heavy involvement in the Roman Catholic
faith.
As stated by A.N Wilson, “Tolkien’s sense of the present world’s futility, folly, and unreality stemmed from his lively faith in a world beyond: and this other world was, primarily, the Heaven of conventional Catholicism” (433). Tolkien’s mother played a major part in shaping Tolkien, and perhaps her death made him cling to the Roman Catholic teachings even more. (Napierkowski 314). This influence be seen in The Hobbit when the biblical references are analyzed.
Many parallels stem between the bible and The Hobbit. One such is the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ being comparable to that of the twelve members of Thorin’s company. In addition, Gandalf can be seen as a God-like figure. In the Genesis 17:1, God says “I am the almighty God.” This means that he alone is God, just like how Gandalf is admired for being the alone Gandalf the White. Gandalf leads the dwarves on a journey to their home, which is also a metaphor for Heaven, as it is an promise land. This is similar to the way that Christians believe God guides us to our Heaven and salvation, but he does not do this until we agree to allow him to help; just like Gandalf does not help Bilbo until he agrees to be the burglar for the group.
Another interest, that Tolkien’s mother did pass down was her love of linguistics and language. Tolkien was able to read at an early age. “Not every writer is also a letter-writer” (Lewis 432). He had a fascination with constructed languages. Tolkien soon would create his own as well. “His love of language suggested much of the myth’s substance” (Wilson 433).
Strange names and even queerer places are littered throughout the story. This includes a language devised by Tolkien himself. Languages such as elvish were constructed by Tolkien for the purpose of enriching the storyline and giving the world of Middle Earth a more mystical feel. Tolkien’s love of linguistics can easily be seen in The Hobbit through his word choice.
He never forgot his academic roots, however, and soon he would be a Professor at Oxford. Tolkien was notable for his academic publishings in analyzing amazing literary pieces. Tolkien was also obsessed with mythology. “He was a mythologizer” (Sale 434). One of the pieces that he researched heavily was Beowulf, which can be seen reflected in his writing through the creatures he created (Crabbe 435). “You could say that The Hobbit is partly a narrative commentary on Beowulf” (Carpenter 439). In a way, Tolkien was able to steal bits of mythology and other fiction concepts from here or there to add to his own work. One parallel between The Hobbit and Beowulf is the dragon: especially a dragon that will “seek out gold and sit on it” (Beowulf). In The Hobbit, the dragon--Smaug--quite literally does that. All of this lead to the construction of one of Tolkien’s most recognizable works-- The Hobbit. There’s a tale that is common knowledge to any fan of Tolkien. The famous storyteller himself tells his fans that the way he began to write the story was by writing the phrase “In a hole there lived a hobbit…” on a student’s paper. It was a rather random act, but it sparked a chain reaction and before long the world of The Lord of the Rings was born. Tolkien’s life was complex. Many things influenced his writing including travel, war, religion, linguistics, and academia. A mastermind like Tolkien has truly shaped a generation and will continue to shape future generations. His work provides insight on his own life through the creatures he writes about, the world he created, and the language he constructed.